Lotus vine named &#34;TiGo&#34;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lotus hybrid  plant named “TiGo”, characterized by its pendulous growth habit and pan-seasonal production of yellow-red flowers.

[0001] The present invention is directed to a new and distinct cultivarbotanically known as pan-seasonal Lotus hybrid relating to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/545,234 filed Apr. 7, 2000, entitled“Pan-Seasonal Lotus Vine Plant and Methods of Breeding and Propagatingthe Same”, from which priority is claimed. Application Ser. No.09/545,234 is hereby incorporated by reference for all it discloses, asif it were set forth herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivarbotanically known as Lotus hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name “TiGo”.

[0004] The cultivar of the accompanying photograph was developed andselected in a controlled breeding program in Coquille, Oreg., by theinventor, Harlan Cosner, as described herein.

[0005] The plant is intended primarily to be ornamentally used in, forexample, hanging baskets, in colder regions of the United States, andpossibly as ground cover in regions of warmer winters, with minimumtemperatures above 25° F.

[0006] 2. Description of the Relevant Art

[0007] TiGo is a result of a cross between a Lotus hybrid and a Lotusmaculata. The pollen parent was Amazon Sunset-A, subject of pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/545,234 filed Apr. 7, 2000, entitled“Pan-Seasonal Lotus Vine Plant and Methods of Breeding and Propagatingthe Same”. The seed parent was an unnamed yellow Lotus maculataseedling.

[0008] The seed parent was of similar color, but it did not flowerunless it received a vernalization period of at least 30 days of minimumtemperatures below 40° F. It then flowered for about 45 consecutivedays. Flowering then ceased again until it was again vernalized. Theinstant plant does not require vernalization, and flowers continuouslyas long as the minimum temperature remains below 65° F. Flowering maydecrease if the minimum temperature exceeds 65° F. Flowering may alsodecrease in possible photoperiodic reaction to winter short dull days.

[0009] The primary difference between the pollen parent and the instantplant is in flower color, the flowers of the instant plant appear yellowwhen observed at a distance of a few feet while the flowers of thepollen parent appear scarlet or red.

[0010] The plant was discovered as a seedling from a controlledcross-pollination made by the inventor under greenhouse conditions. Theplant was produced in a controlled breeding program at Coquille, Oreg.First asexual production was completed in Coquille, Oreg. at least asearly as Aug. 5, 1998.

[0011] Asexual propagation of the cultivar by lateral or apical stemswith leaves has proven the plant to be stable in successive generations.

[0012] Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] A new and distinct cultivar of Lotus hybrid having a pendulousplant habit and pan-seasonal production of yellow-red bi-color flowers,which appear yellow from a distance of a few feet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0014] The attached color photographs illustrate the cultivar of thepresent invention.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following observations, measurements and description of theplant and flowers are based on the following environment and culturalpractices at Coquille, Oreg. The following measurements, values andcomparisons describe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylenefilm with a 40% shade cloth over the top of a greenhouse, withtemperatures ranging from between 60° F. to 68° F. at night, and between85° F. to 100° F. during the daytime. The individual plants were grownin 10-inch hanging baskets in a soiless medium consisting of Perlite andpeat moss. Plants were liquid fed with 20-10-20 plus minor elements. Thecutting types were lateral or apical stems. Cuttings were stuck in aboutthe first week of June 2000 and finished in about late October 2000.Light levels were a maximum of 1,000-6,000 ft. candles, depending oncloud cover.

[0016] The plant of the present invention has not been observed in allpossible environmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype mayvary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature,light level, humidity and also with cultural practices such asfertility, soil and water quality.

[0017] The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand the flower color of the cultivar of the present invention describedherein. The photographs were taken of a mature plant during earlyinflorescence.

[0018] There may be variations between the colors in the photograph andthe colors in the following description due to, for example, lightreflectance, the amount of blue or red light captured in the film,and/or propagation stress. If such variations occur, then writtendescription shall control.

[0019] The following description was taken of the TiGo cultivar shown inthe photographs.

[0020] Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standardcross-pollination. As noted above, its pollen parent was an AmazonSunset-A, and the seed parent was an unnamed yellow Lotus maculataseedling.

[0021] Propagation:

[0022]Type of Cutting.—Lateral or apical stems with leaves.

[0023]Time to Initiate Roots.—Approximately 12 to 14 days at 70° F. soiltemperature, and 70° F. air temperature, with radiant heat applied atthe bench top or just below the rooting medium. Winter low lightconditions may require longer time to initiate roots.

[0024] Appearance and form of mature plant:

[0025]Plant Form and Habit.—Plant is free branching and pendulous.

[0026]Plant Size.—Stems generally protrude upwards until they reachabout 30 cm. in length, then they become pendulous. Stem length at firstflowering is generally about 50 cm. Both of these measurements are afunction of age, the above environmental and cultural practices, and canvary accordingly.

[0027]Rooting Habit.—Roots are coarse and somewhat stringy.

[0028]Branching Habit.—Pendulous.

[0029]Stems.—Habit is pendulous. Internode length on mature stems isabout 3 cm. Lateral stems alternate along the main stem. Color does notmatch any in the chart, but is closest to 139D on all surfaces whenjuvenile. With age, the surfaces of the stems that are the most exposedto light become densely spotted with a reddish brown color making thecolor appear close to 200D. The undersurfaces or shaded surfaces tend toremain close to 139D.

[0030]Foliage.—Shape is linear. Leaves usually numbering 6 or 7 appearin half whorls that alternate in position along the stems.

[0031]Foliage Size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 1.5 cm. inlength, and 1 mm. in width.

[0032]Foliage Color.—Adaxial surface color is 138A and the abaxialsurface color is 138B. There is no visible venation. Juvenile foliageadaxial surface color is 138A and the abaxial surface color is 138B.There is no visible venation.

[0033]Foliage Texture.—The foliage texture is smooth with tinypubescence.

[0034]Petioles.—There appears not to be any petioles, or if there areany, they are too short to determine, as the leaves appear to beattached directly to the stems.

[0035]Flower Habit.—Outward away from stems.

[0036]Flower Size/Shape.—About 0.7 cm. wide and about 3 cm. high, andabout 1 cm. deep. Each of the fused center petals are about 0.8 cm. wideand 2.7 cm. deep, and the shape is linear on one side, and ovate on theother with exaggerated and curved acuminate apex (more like a curved,tapering, acicular or filliform apex), entire margin and cuneate base.Each side petal is about 0.7 cm. wide and 2.25 cm. long, and the shapeis linear on one side, and ovate on the other side, with a cuneate baseand acuminate apex, and entire margin. The center petal is about 0.5 cm.wide and 2.5 cm. long that is strongly reflexed into a U-shape, cuneatebase, strongly acuminate apex, and entire margin. These measurementsrefer to the larger flowers.

[0037]Flower Texture.—Smooth.

[0038]Flower Count.—Usually 3 or 4 flowers per axial.

[0039]Flowers Borne.—Arising from leaf axils, one peduncle per node,with generally one to four pedicels per peduncle, each pedicel producinga single flower. Flowers are single in type.

[0040]Natural Flowering Season.—Year around under greenhouse conditions,except flowering may decrease or cease during low-light periods ofwinter, indicating the plant may be somewhat photoperiodic. Novernalization is required and the plants flower continuously whenminimum temperatures are below 65° F., except possible photoperiodicresponses as stated above. The plant also flowers continuously atsustained minimum temperatures in excess of 65° F., except to a lesserextent.

[0041]Time to Flower.—About 12 weeks from rooted cutting to firstinflorescence, depending on the age of the cuttings that were stuck, andother environmental conditions. Budded cuttings flowered earlier thanjuvenile cuttings.

[0042]Flower Shape and Color.—There are 5 petals, with the two largestpetals fused together at each side forming a hollow tube-type of singleorgan that is wider at the base than at the apex. The adaxial surface ofeach of these petals is close to 11C at the base and the apex appearsclose to 180A to 180B, but is hard to determine as the petals roll upwhen separated from each other. There are two side petals which parallelthe main two fused petals, their adaxial surface is close to 12A atbase, 14A from about midway between base and apex to apex, and there arereddish streaks toward the apex which are very narrow, making the colorhard to determine, but which appear close to 179A to 180A. There is astrongly reflexed center petal which attaches to the calyx and coversabout half of the abaxial surface of the two side petals, the adaxialsurface color is closest to 14B on the edges that extends from a base of9D to about three-fourths of the way to the apex. There is a strip thatdoes not match any color in the chart, which is darker than 187A but notas dark as 200A that is in the center of the petal. The abaxial surfaceof the outer fused petal is close to 31B to 31C at the base for abouthalf a centimeter towards apex, then a strip up to extending to aboutthe middle of close to 12A with tiny reddish veins too narrow todetermine that extend from the remaining apical portion of the petalinto the 12A portion. The apical portion of the petal, which is abouthalf the petal length, is colored 171A. The side petals at the base areclose to 37B for about half a centemeter on the side opposite thereflexed petal, the remaining portion of the petals, except the apex,are closest to 13A. There are tiny reddish streaks that are too small todetermine that extend from the apex about a centemeter into the 13Acoloring with the apex color appearing the same as the tiny streaks,which is closest to 179A. The reflexed center petal has about a halfcentemeter of a base color of close to 1C then there is a small strip of179A on each outer edge. Inside that spot, on each side, is a small spotof close to 164A, then there is a strip of close to 163A on the outeredges (extending from the spot of 179A to about three-quarters of thepetal length toward the apex) with very narrow stripes of a reddishcolor, which appears close to 180A. There is a center stripe close to166A, and the apex appears close to 175A.

[0043]Flower Buds.—Lanceolate in shape, 1.5 cm. in length and 0.4 cm. indiameter at the base. Buds prior to opening are close to 145C at thebase, and 147C toward the apex.

[0044]Peduncles.—Length is about 1.8 cm. and diameter is about 1.5 mm.The color does not match any in the chart, but appears between 145B and145C with extremely tiny reddish spots, which are too small to determinecolor.

[0045]Pedicels.—About 0.8 cm. long and about 1 mm. in width. Color isclosest to 145B.

[0046]Calyx.—There is one calyx measuring about 0.6 cm. wide and 1.25cm. long. It is sheathing and crown-like in shape with five pointedlobes, each with an acute to acuminate apex. There are two which arelonger than the other three. These longer two are curved and follow thecurvature of the center reflexed petal described above. The apex of eachof the shorter three points is about 0.6 cm. long and the longer two areeach about 1 cm. long. The adaxial surface is close to 144C at the base,and close to 138B at the apex. The abaxial surface is 144B to 144C atthe base and 138B at the apex. There is very fine pubescence on bothsurfaces.

[0047]Reproductive Organs.—Ovary is colored 145A, about 1.5 cm. inlength and 1 mm. in diameter. The stigma is colored close to 153D,about: 0.5 mm. wide and 2.5 cm. long. The stamen is a single organ atthe base which sheaths the ovary, then it splits into 10 individualfilaments, each of which produces a tiny anther that appears close to153A, but exact color cannot be determined due to the tiny size of theanthers. The stamen and filaments are colored close to 150C. The pollencolor appears close to 11C. The pollen is shed before the stigma isreceptive to pollen and natural seed production has not occurred.

[0048]Disease Resistance.—Plants seem to be highly resistant or evenimmune to INSV, TSWV and most other viruses, bacteria and fungi. Plantshave been tested in outdoor unscreened conditions where obvious viruscontaminations were prevalent and thrip populations were high, but nooccurrences of virus contaminations were noticed despite highpopulations of thrips on the plants in close proximity to plants ofother species susceptible to such contaminations, and showing obviousvirus symptoms.

[0049]Rooting Ability.—Easy, no hormones needed.

[0050]Cold/Heat Resistance.—Plants have flowered continuously undertemperatures where maximums exceeded 100° F., and where minimums did notfall below 65° F.

COMPARISON CHART TO PRIOR ART

[0051] The cultivar has only been compared to the parents and thecomparison is indicated above.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lotus hybrid named “TiGo”, as illustrated and described herein. 